Hamilton's Move To Ferrari Evaluated By Four-Time World Champion Prost

Monday, 15 April 2024 at 09:00

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc walking together through the paddock at one of the F1 circuits, with Red Bull hospitality and the FIA office in the background.

Four-time World Champion Alain Prost explained he could understand Lewis Hamilton's choice to leave Mercedes.

Almost every former and current F1 driver has already expressed their opinion on the seven-time world champion's decision to join Ferrari in 2025.

While many F1 fans in comments on our social media seem to see this move as Hamilton being selfish and disloyal, racing drivers generally can relate to it more.

F1 is a team sport, but all the Drivers have their own Championship at the same time. They also have a more limited amount of time than any of the engineers, some of whom can keep working within the sport even into their sixties.

Consequently, many drivers will often change teams if they feel they have a better chance of competing for the Championship elsewhere.

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In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, the four-time World Champion Alain Prost gave his two cents on Hamilton's move. He said:

"I can understand his decision because obviously when you are in a team like Mercedes, when they did not win a race for two years and they are really struggling to go back to the front, and at his age he has said, 'Okay, why not try something different.'"

"I mean, I'm not sure if he had the possibility to go to Red Bull, but not with Max for sure. So that's not possible."

Hamilton previously said he would have no problem and would actually like driving alongside Max Verstappen, but as Christian Horner said, it is not in the team's interest to have two "alphas" in their seats. Prost continued:

"Then you can go to Ferrari, especially with the regulation change in '26. Then you only have one year, '25, that way you can [settle into the team]."

"After '26, he will be 42, I think, maybe even 43 so it's going to be another story. But I can understand, if you don't want to stop racing."

The increasing age isn't helping the 39-year-old Mercedes driver, but then there is Fernando Alonso, who is turning 43 this year.

He just signed a multi-year extension with Aston Martin and keeps proving that age is just a number for him. Regardless of everything, the four-time World Champion believes Hamilton's move to Ferrari is good for the sport.

"The question is, is it a good move? Is it going to be a good choice? Also, for Ferrari, you could ask the question. It's good for the sport because everybody's going to watch."